“Not I. I retain a smattering of common sense.”

“And that you did not avenge the death of Desiree by causing that of the Inca king?”

“So far as that Desiree woman is concerned,” said Harry, and his tone began to show impatience, “I can only repeat that I have never heard of the creature.  And”—­he continued—­“if you’re trying to bamboozle a gullible world by concocting a tale as silly as your remarks to me would seem to indicate, I will say that as a cheap author you are taking undue liberties with your family, meaning myself.  And what is more, if you dare to print the stuff I’ll let the world know it’s a rank fake.”

This threat, delivered with the most awful resolution and sincerity, unnerved me completely, and I fell back in my chair in a swoon.

When I recovered Harry had gone to his polo game, leaving me behind, whereupon I seized my pen and hastened to set down in black and white that most remarkable conversation, that the reader may judge for himself between us.

For my part, I do swear that the story is true, on my word of honor as a cynic and a philosopher.

[end of text]

Note:  I have made the following changes to the text: 
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   2 1 2 sursounding surrounding
  22 6 2 hunderd hundred
  24 9 1 La Mire Le Mire
  32 1 1 ager eager
  36 4 5 earthqakes earthquakes
  45 5 2 tossd tossed
  56 10 1 then than
  58 8 1 or our
  69 8 2 geting getting
  74 1 3 unstead unsteady
  87 13 1 Whey Why 106 5 1 placng placing 112 4 2 aggreeable agreeable 115 1 to some some 123 1 2 Desiree arms Desiree’s arms 125 3 5 had made has made 129 11 4 But was But it was 140 4 1 Lords knows Lord knows 158 5 6 begin towed being towed 168 6 2 dicussing discussing 178 6 3 Pachacamas Pachacamac 179 7 3 cabin cavern 185 2 1 was wild was a wild 192 8 3 carvern cavern* 196 8 1 perservation preservation 196 9 4 dour days four days 204 6 1 litte little 208 2 1 on my on me 209 3 4 aked asked 210 5 2 retuned returned 211 8 3 said side 212 3 3 touch tough 224 6 2 Soliel Soleil 226 5 5 aproaching approaching 243 1 3 serius serious 247 5 5 forseen foreseen 247 6 1 They The 259 4 5 peceptibly perceptibly